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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bound — obliged
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. chest — of your body
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. chest — of your body
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. scale — in music
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. suit — in cards
  14. net — in sport
  15. net — after costs
  16. scale — size or range
  17. suit — to fit
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bound — certain
  20. net — for catching
  21. bound — tied together
  22. stand — to bear
  23. chest — a box
  24. mark — a grade

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com